Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy
Catholic Charities’ Family Growth Program in Monmouth County offers Trauma-Focused
Cognitive Behavior Therapy (TF-CBT), an evidence-based treatment appropriate for children
who have had one or more traumas and are experiencing symptoms of post-traumatic stress.
The therapy is provided at three locations in Monmouth County: Red Bank, Keansburg
and Neptune and in Ocean County at our new Toms River location.
Payment should not be a barrier to treatment. The Family Growth Program
will bill Medicaid or third party insurance when available, but is also grant-funded
if assistance is needed. The program also contracts with the state’s
Department of Children Protection and Permanency (DCP&P).
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy
(TF-CBT) helps children, teens and their parents
cope with trauma. The therapy is typically provided
to children ages 3 to 18 years.
Talking about the trauma is done in a gradual,
supportive way and is not done until the child has
learned some coping skills. TF-CBT helps families
manage feelings, talk about the trauma and develop
plans for feeling safe in the future.
Research shows that not talking about traumatic
events can prevent healing. Children often have
inaccurate beliefs about the event that cannot be
corrected if the topic is avoided.
WHAT IS TRAUMA?
Trauma is an unexpected or sudden event that creates
feelings of extreme fear or helplessness for a child that
witnesses or experiences it. These events are often in
situations where the child feared for his/her life or the
lives of others. Trauma can include:
n
Physical abuse
n
Sexual abuse
WHAT ARE SOME
REACTIONS TO
TRAUMA?
Each child’s reaction
to a traumatic event is
different and is based on
many factors, such as age
when the trauma occurred,
severity of the trauma
and the amount of time
that has passed since the
trauma. Some possible symptoms of trauma include:
n
ifficulty sleeping or nightmares and/or not wanting
D
to sleep alone
n
Difficulty not thinking about the event
n
Increased fear in both safe and risky situations
n
Exposure to violence
n
Feelings of shame or guilt
n
Loss of significant loved one
n
Difficulty concentrating and/or staying still
n
Natural disaster
n Thoughts
n
House fire
n
Low self-esteem
n
Car accident
n
Mood swings and/or irritability
about death or dying
s
continued
n
Drop in grades/performance at school
n
fforts to avoid talking about the event or doing
E
things that remind the child about the event
WHAT IS THE
CAREGIVER’S
ROLE IN TF-CBT?
WHAT IS TF-CBT?
With TF-CBT, the
caregivers are
involved in every
step of treatment.
Caregivers are
asked to help the
child practice skills
at home and are the primary support person as
the child gets ready to tell his/her story. In fact,
research has proven that caregiver involvement in
trauma therapy is the single most important factor
in a child’s recovery. Caregivers are encouraged to
participate in a psycho-educational support group
concurrent with their child’s treatment.
TF-CBT is a structured therapy that has been shown
to decrease the short-term and long-term negative
effects of trauma. The therapy includes:
n
Education about trauma and its effects
n
arenting strategies to address common behavior
P
problems
n Training
in relaxation/stress management
n
Learning about feelings and ways to express them
n
inding and changing the thoughts about the
F
trauma that can postpone or prevent healing
n
eveloping creative ways for the child to gradually
D
talk about what happened.
n
elping the child and caregiver(s) talk together
H
about the trauma.
n
Planning for future safety and success.
WHY USE TF-CBT?
n TF-CBT
is time limited, with treatment often
completed in 12 to 18 sessions.
n Treatment
generalizes to other traumas, so if there
are multiple traumas, the child does not need to
engage in the process for each.
n TF-CBT
is well researched and numerous clinical trials
have demonstrated that the treatment is effective.
meets the accreditation standards of the
National Children’s Alliance for provision of traumainformed evidence-based mental health treatment for
children.
linicians work in collaboration with various
C
disciplines on the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s
Office Multidisciplinary Team to ensure a
coordinated response to child abuse allegations.
n Treatment
n
n TF-CBT
n TF-CBT
n Treatment
n Treatment
engages the family, includes caregiver
education and facilitates ongoing support for the
child after treatment has been completed.
includes standardized assessment
resulting in an individualized treatment plan.
results in a reduction of acting-out
behaviors, with reduced incidence of placement
disruption.
results in reduced likelihood of a child
recanting the disclosure of abuse.
For more information about Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy
(TF-CBT), contact Catholic Charities’ Family Growth Program
in Monmouth County at 732-747-9660.
To make a referral, call 1-800-360-7711.
CatholicCharitiesTrenton.org